Anastassia Kuznetsova receives 'New Estonian Novel' youth prize
15-year-old Anastasia Kuznetsova is the winner of the joint competition "Värske Novell" (New Novel) of the literary magazine "Värske Rõhk" and the annual book series "Eesti Novell" (Estonian Novel).
Even when unaware of the author's young age, the prose of Kuznetsova is astounding, Made Luiga, an Estonian prose writer and literary critic who was a member of the jury, said.
"It it fiction through and through, a poetic generalization of personal experience. The theme of memory and remembering in her stories is rather extraordinary, even though it is a literary staple subject," Luiga said. "Usually, you have to live for a while before realizing that the world is a memory."
Special prizes were awarded to Anni Sooman for her novel "Randa" (To the Shore), which stood out for its strong sense of style and exciting plot, and Anna Birgitta Põdra for her introspective and detailed novel "Lihtsalt" (Just.)
The aim of the competition was to encourage 15- to 19-year-olds to read and write fictional works. A total of 103 short stories by 77 young authors were submitted to the contest.
A prize fund of €1,500 was awarded to the winners and the novels to be published in "Värske Rõhk." The winning story will also appear in the collection "Eesti Novell 2023" (Estonian Novel 2023.)
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Editor: Kristina Kersa